REPLY TO A PERSONAL ATTACK

Part A: Re: PSYCHIC WORLD ARTICLE Oct. 08

In the October issue of PW, there was a most unfair, unreasonable, uninformed and dirty attack which contained defamatory imputations against materialization medium David Thompson, against the professionalism of the Circle of the Silver Cord members and against me by some non-entity Simon F who I never met or have known everin my life.

The article by Simon was argued at extremely inferior and amateurish level and also contained numerous lies.

I advised this Simon F. to go to a lawyer to formalize his objections and for his lawyer to submit the objections to me in a proper acceptable way. Although I don't think a lawyer is going to take him seriously. But being some kind of a driver, this Simon shows he:

• fails to understand he's dealing with technical concepts which are above his head,
  
• does not understand what is a qualified statement,
  
• has no idea what technically constitutes admissible evidence,
  
• shows he is unreasonable and extremely rigid in sticking to his fundamentallay erroneous premises,
  
• does not understand about keeping variables constant when making analogies,
  
• shows he does not know what is the difference between objectivity and subjectivity,
  
• shows he does not or cannot comprehend the complex higher learning at University level as to Scientific Method and the admissibility of technical evidence,
  
• ultimately shows he is extremely jealous of those who are established professionals and making a global contribution.

Being what he is shows that certain professional knowledge is above his head and he knows he's out of his league when trying to take on highly established professionals in Law, Psychology and in the higher levels of law enforcement agencies.

My information about about this 'DICK' received from various sources in England is that he is not a professional, not an author, definitely not any authority on anything - perhaps some kind of a driver by occupation (there's nothing wrong in that in itself as far as being a driver is concerned) and someone who has not made a contribution to Spiritualism.

I'll just deal with couple of issues to illustrate why Simon needs to go a see a lawyer to be advised on all relevant issues:

a) he stated words to the effect, "that being a police officer or in intelligence (for twenty years) or being a professional Psychologist or a Lawyer - have nothing to do with investigating seances "

Immediately, the reader's response would be that this guy Simon does not have the brainpower to understand the relevance of police officers and intelligence agents having professionals experience in fraud detection. Or that a professional Psychologist's vast experience in Scientific Method has nothing to do with understanding what technical variables are to be controlled in any investigation and experiments. Nor does this manual worker understand why a professional's understanding of what is admissible evidence in a seance is relevant when proving the afterlife.

b) I stated that the Circle of the Silver Cord (SOSC) does NOT give guarantees as to who comes through. We put the taped evidence on the net and we let people judge for themselves about the messages from the afterlife. Nor

PART B (from previous issues)

I received just two emails informing me that someone is attacking my credibility as an investigator – I looked up the URL they sent and yes, some misguided anti-materialization 'spiritualist' is going off his head.

This DICK has lied, he has maligned and has been malicious simply because he is hugely envious of those who are making a contribution in this world - that's what the record shows. I can't think of anything else why this guy is so scurrilous - I never met, nor did I hear of him before in my life!

But what is very peculiar is the attacker – let’s call him 'Simon Dick’ - I will not fall for his trick to exploit the issue and give him free publicity by using his real name- that's partly his motivation for attacking established professionals. I was informed from England that this Simon Dick is full of tricks.

This 'Dick' did not have the courage to send me the scurrilous article BEFORE attacking me. It is irrelevant when the attacker claims to have sent me a copy AFTER publishing it.

But note carefully: I was informed that this 'Dick's attack on me is not genuine - it is a trick - it is an attempt to poach readers from my and other established websites because of 'Dick's' rapidly sagging support. This is an old con trick to gain notoriety by attacking those who are established, have credibility and have value.

Further, this unqualified and uninformed 'Dick' misleads the reader by trying to make himself come across as a **smartass expert litigation lawyer and to come across as an expert in scientific method. I was informed the attacker is neither. He is reportedly a failed small-time publisher; a non-entity trying to bolster up a flagging readership before his last few readers abandon him altogether. He sends the dirty article to others with an established readership hoping to steal some of their readers too– tricky but not nice.

**I use words to accurately describe people – and when I called Simon a ‘smartass’, that is exactly how I would describe him for his colossal willful omission regarding the way we truly see the evidence in materializations.

The main thrust of his complaint is that Alan Crossley did not materialize for the Circle of the Silver Cord. But, we notice very carefully, this complainant, 'Dick' acknowledges that voices were recorded. This means that the Circle produced evidence that some entity was speaking.

Why would people accept that it was Alan Crossley who came through?

Firstly, the entity himself claimed to be Alan Crossley. That was noted with great care.

Secondly a member of Stewart Alexander's Circle who claimed to have been a very close friend of Alan and heard Alan says he felt the contact was genuine "His voice on hearing it sounded like his earthly one ..."

Thirdly there were two important witnesses at the seance who stated the contact was genuine. They were the reason why Alan Crossley materialized. What we did not reveal to the world before – only to a few people - is that at the materializations session, the grandson of Helen Duncan, David Duncan, was there present with us. That is the reason that Alan Crossley and Helen Duncan and Helen Duncan's guide Albert all materialized.

David Duncan’s attestation can be read on the Circle of the Silver Cord website. He writes:

" I will not go into much more detail as although there were others present, what was said to me was of a personal nature. Needless to say I have no doubt whatsoever that this was indeed my Grandmother – known throughout the world as one of the greatest and best known physical mediums, that gave her life, so that we might practice these natural gifts given to us without fear or malice.”

Also present was Christine Morgan of the Spiritualist Sanctuary Perth whose attestation can be read on the Circle of the Silver Cord website. Christine’s father was a friend of Alan Crossley. She writes:

" Alan Crossley a great physical mediumship researcher and a friend of my father's also came through that evening, he greeted me personally, spoke about my dad several times, and shook my hand, felt my face and stroked my hair, this causing me to be very moved."

The members of the Circle of the Silver Cord do not particularly care who comes through. They do not ask who they want to materialize – that is left up to William at his own absolute discretion. The medium offers the spirits the ectoplasm to materialize. They can call themselves whoever they like.

For myself whether or not the spirits are who they say they are, is not all that important. But I go on the totality of the evidence.

The fact is that we have definitive evidence of spirit activity and we at least have the spirit voices as hard core substantive evidence of their materializations. And the previous mentioned tape voice correlations I made show at least there is a prima facie case made out that the voices are all different and different from David Thompson's.

What is most unfair about 'Dick’s' article is the lie that the ONLY evidence the Circle has produced of the afterlife is voices in the dark.

Anyone who seriously read reports by myself, Montague Keen, the Zerdin Phenomenal Magazine, the Circle website would know that we have had:

* repeated levitations sometimes with David speaking from up near the ceiling
* matter through matter demonstrations
* the sound of materialization and de-materialization
* extended trumpet phenomena
* musical instruments played high up near the ceiling
* the medium's gag being dematerialized and rematerialized
* curtains opened and closed by materialized hands
* large hands and small fingers visible in the light of a luminous plaque
* apport phenomena
* verified signatures of spirit guests written on paper
* ectoplasm seen and photographed in red light
* materialized guests shaking hands with sitters who were able to feel the size of their hands
* the sound of materialized feet walking across the floor and in some cases the feel of them treading on toes
* lots of touch of materialized adults, children and at least two dogs.
* several spirit voices - and David Thompson's voice - being heard AT THE SAME TIME conversing to each other.
* William and David counting simultaneously
* And most telling of all, the Circle has had more than 90 people reunited with loved ones whom they identified as giving them evidence of their identity and up to date involvement in their lives.

It has to be noted that the Circle only puts a small proportion of the taped evidence on the internet.

In addition many of the people sitting with the Circle are mental mediums themselves and have received cross-validation before during and after sittings.

For over twelve months I challenged any skeptic around the world- especially those in the U.S., UK, Australia, Italy, Germany, Sweden and Denmark - for half a million dollars to show that the evidence the Circle was getting was not produced by genuine physical mediumship.

WHY HAS NO ONE BEATEN MY MATERIALIZASTION $500,000 OFFER? This is because the Circle of the Silver Cord (COSC) has the most professional team in the history of materializations. The COSC has professionally qualified and highly experienced experts in 'fraud detection' - (ex-intelligence and police officers), has a professionally qualified psychologist with expertise in Scientific Method and there is expertise in the 'legal admissibility of evidence'. To my knowledge there has never been at any time in history a non-religious clinical materialization Circle which has so many professionals with relevant professional expertise and extensive relevant experience - more than fifteen months of regular weekly materializations. Can the reader now understand the huge jealousy and envy by those losers and failures who are anti-materializations of this world and why they try to attack us? And why no materialist closed minded skeptic or anybody else will not take me on?

Understandably, the hard core materialist skeptics knowing that some of the Circle members are professional empiricists and at all times and operate with due diligence, would not dare challenge the evidence produced every week – they knew they’d get their fingers burnt and lose half a million dollars themselves when they failed.

I suggest that any reader who has been misled by Dick’s attacks read the testimony of witnesses who were actually present at one of David’s séances and make up their own minds:

Ken Pretty's audio testimony http://www.victorzammit.com/audio/kenpretty29.10.06.mp3

Camilla Persson's audio testimony http://www.victorzammit.com/audio/camillaperson15.10.06.mp3

Dr Ken S. audio testimony
http://www.victorzammit.com/audio/ken1.mp3
http://www.victorzammit.com/audio/ken2ectoplasm.mp3
http://www.victorzammit.com/audio/ken6healing.mp3
http://www.victorzammit.com/audio/ken7importance.mp3

Wendy Phillips' written report http://www.victorzammit.com/articlesdavid/wendyphillipsreport.htm

Karen Ellis' written report
http://www.victorzammit.com/articlesdavid/karenellis.htm

Violet Eccles written report
http://www.victorzammit.com/articlesdavid/davidinmelbourne.html

Victor Zammit's video testimony
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6nPe7vK8kCg%20

Here are the main issues raised by the uninformed complainant 'Dick':

1# that the standard of David Thompson's mediumship is not up to that of physical mediums of the past.

Victor: Montague Keen, when he first investigated David Thompson, stated that the controls on David were far in excess of those used on famous mediums Eva C or Jack Webber.

To my knowledge, David Thompson is the only materialization medium to allow independent highly qualified investigators to investigate his materialization mediumship every week for over fifteen months.

I always stated that we all want to have the best evidence, but we have to deal with what we get. The suggested alternative by ‘Dick’ – is to slam the door shut on those from the other side who are trying to do their best to communicate with us given the restricted circumstances.

We here are in no position to unilaterally demand how we want things done from the other side– they have limitations themselves. The way the Circle of the Silver Cord does it is to have patience, lots of patience when the other side says they are working very hard to improve conditions. I never ever stated that we have the ideal physical conditions – and repeated there is always room for improvement. In fact, precedent has it that at least one other well known medium in England had to wait seven years to get any results.

The Circle has had one year and three months of experimentation. And we are so thankful for the hitherto brilliant results we attained particularly in public séances so far.

And given the state of the world and the urgent need for any confirmation of the existence of an afterlife it would be highly irresponsible and professionally negligent to suggest that we should keep quiet about the evidence we have been getting until we have the "absolute proof". Positive feedback confirms that too many people have repeatedly been helped.

2# that Victor gives weekly reports on David Thompson and alleged communications from Houdini, Conan Doyle and Winston Churchill.

Victor: two serious errors that show 'Dick' to be a very sloppy, negligent investigator: first, I have done just a couple of updates on the seances in the last FIVE months – NOT weekly as I used to.

Secondly, I have never ever mentioned Churchill in my weekly reports. Wake up 'DICK'!

3# that Victor's investigative methodology and qualifications are questionable.

Victor: In the two years – which includes some fifteen months of weekly careful investigations of David Thompson’s materializations, 'Dick' or his friends never at any time ever complained about my scientific methodology. If this Dick were truly concerned, he would have responded to my call for anyone to show which potential intervening variables I was not controlling. Whilst other scientists and empiricists totally agreed with my methodology, no skeptic, no debunker, no scientist and certainly no 'Dick' ever stated WHERE, WHEN, HOW and WHY the scientific methodology I was using was not correct.

3# that Victor's description of himself as a writer and researcher on the empirical evidence for the afterlife is ambiguous.

Victor: What is so ambiguous about ‘empirical’? For the informed, it is very easy to understand. ‘Empirical’ at university level relates to any experiment which strictly adheres to scientific method. It would be fundamentally wrong to have an a priori ‘theory or system’ – you have a hypothesis to test and only scientific method to work with. 'Dick' shows he is a layperson erroneously relying on dictionary definitions and a misplaced ego!.

4.# Since David Thompson's phenomena are produced in the dark the primary sense being relied on is hearing and thus the evidence is not empirical because it is not observable by the senses.

Victor: Here is a critical issue by someone who appears to use dictionary definitions as distinct what is professionally taught at universities. By analogy, if 'Dick’s' mother was physically alive and was in total darkness and had two minutes to talk to this 'Dick' – can he say, “no it’s not my mother because I cannot see her?” Even though she would be sitting next to him?

Some spirits also bring with them a distinctive smell. In the case of the entity which claimed it was Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, there was physical contact with him. Just because one or two of the senses are absent does not mean the experiment would not be valid. In scientific method everything – all intervening variables are noted with due care. I have been stating that repeatability, objectivity and empiricism is what we have: a formula is followed, it is repeated over space and time, keeping variables constant and we get the same results, i.e. materializations. And 'Dick' can misinterpret, lie, cheat till he’s blue in the face, he’s not going to change that, ever.

5#. Victor is basing his assumptions purely upon a voice in the dark which claims to be Houdini or Conan Doyle and this is ridiculous and unscientific.

Victor: Here this 'Dick' shows how ‘ridiculous’ he himself is – and shows his real malicious intent to denigrate by trying to come across as all-knowing about evidence. Why? I am basing my conclusions on the totality of what I have observed and experienced and the credibility of the witnesses I interviewed. All extraneous variables are immediately relevant: voices, peculiar smells (one observer, Camilla, a guest from Sweden, reported smelling tobacco when Conan Doyle went near her) – and all known idiosyncrasies. And 'Dick' omitted to state what I stated many times over the last two years: that while spirits are definitely coming through, we are not in a position to ‘guarantee’ that those who come through are who they claim to be. Again, back to 'Dick’s' mum in darkness: he can say yes, it is his mother without doubt, but he would never be able to use science to show that she is who she claims to be.

6# Victor should know that only relevant evidence is admissible and then goes on to try to lecture me on the rules of evidence.

Victor: So, here we go again, this 'Dick' is trying to play the expert litigation lawyer – citing legal dictionary definitions. Of course, I’m not here to educate this uninformed 'Dick', but to show that he is fundamentally wrong. Is the fact that voices are produced not relevant? Are the messages we get from loved ones not relevant?

7# The recordings of the alleged spirits do not prove or disprove anything.

My wife and I witnessed more than forty reunions – loved ones from the otherside with their loved ones sitting in the séance room.

• I heard people crying in the séance room when they were told things that only they could know.
  
• I heard my own wife’s father coming through and relating information no one on earth knew about except my wife – and
  
• handing her a piece of paper with his confirmed signature.
  
• I heard Gordon Higginson correcting Ken Pretty in New Zealand about where in fact they met last time when they were in England.
  
• I also witnessed other stunning evidence that could not have been concocted by anyone. Is this 'Dick' trying to negate all this by his stupid uninformed conclusions?

8.# 'Dick' attempts to lecture on scientific method.

Here again this uninformed Dick is misleading the reader. It is NOT correct to state that scientific method is the process by which scientists … There are lawyer-empiricists – as I am - who are NOT scientists but have a major in Scientific Method at university as an adjunct to a major in Psychology. So when this uninformed Dick tries to mislead the reader, the onus is on this Dick to tell us what’s his authority for that. Failing that, this Dick shows he’s making it up. Don’t waste our precious time, DICK!

9.# That I have not produced any evidence for materialization having taken place.

'Dick' does not put his money where his mouth is. I offered $500,000 to anyone, including this 'Dick', to show that what we are doing, producing objective, repeatable evidence is not valid. But one condition was that if the challenger failed, he would have to hand over $500,000 to us. Yet of the vehemently negative critics, not even this vociferous 'Dick', had the testes, the courage, the motivation, the stomach to take us on. If he were definitively sure, he would have made a quick half a million dollars. But, this uninformed negative Spiritualist showed that he KNOWS that we are producing hard core objective and repeatable evidence. Put up or shut up 'Dick'!

10. # The voice of Alan Crossley was different from his voice while alive.

Here, 'Dick' continues to go from bad to worse – he shows more ignorance of basic materialization. The voice in materializations will sometimes sound different to voices when the person was alive, particularly for an inexperienced communicator. Each visitor from the afterlife has different skills in vocalizing. Gordon Higginson comes across clear as crystal but some others sometimes try to speak but with no clear articulation. Some spirits try to vocalize but abandon the attempt. Some take energy from other entities in the Circle on the spirit-side. I am on record for stating in the past that Sir Arthur Conan Doyle bitterly complained that speaking during materialization is 'like speaking with your head underwater.' So the professional empiricist will not use the voice as the sole criterion – there are other critical relevant empirical issues to take into account. But 'Dick' has not experienced even one materialization with David Thompson.

The whole of this 'Dick’s' article is highly venomous, vile and scurrilous and full of lies. It is a personal attack on me.

The Circle of the Silver Cord is not interested in debating the evidence- they put it out there honestly and in good faith to assist people who are searching and to encourage those who are genuine to find their own evidence.

Sure we would all like to return to days of Helen Duncan and Alex Harris but writing negative uniformed attacks full of venom and malice is not helping that to happen – in fact this 'Dick' is exacerbating the huge problem in Spiritualism – bitter division.

It is malicious conduct in the extreme and surely as most of us know 'Dick' or whatever his name is, one day you will pay the price for your willful venom and for disseminating darkness, guaranteed!

Victor Zammit
20th May 2008

<< Return to Articles